Washing machine



July 2, 1929. T, J, McDoNALD 1.719.336

WASHING MACHINE l Filed March 2, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet l gmwm kfw atto:wup

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July r2, 1929.

T. J. McpoNALl- WASHIG MACHINE Filed March 2, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet Jlllyg 1929-- 1'. J. McboNALD WASHING MACHINE Filed Marchy2, 1925 4Sheets-Sheet 4 C. M JM n w f/W abbina/11d atented duly 2, 1929,..

UNiTED s'rii'rizs vPara Nr OFFICE..

THOMAS J. mDoNALD, Aor rHILAnELrHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

wAsnrNo MACHINE.

Appncaaon mea Maren 2,1926. sum1 No. 91,760.

` and capable of positively maintaining the same in different positionsduring the washing and drying operations.

Another object of the invention is to provide means associated with thecover for supporting the outerf end of the rotatable drum.

'ilhe invention further embodies a washing machine which is simple,light and compact in construction; which can be readily mounted on aWash tub, stand or the like; and is economical and eliicient inoperation.

Referring to the drawings wherein is shown a preferred embodiment of theinvention:

Fig. 1' is a side elevation showing the machine mounted on a tub, and inthe washing position. i

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the machine in the drying position.

Fig. 3 is avertical sectional view of the machine.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along theline 4 4 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of a modiiied form of theinvention.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of a further modihcation.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of another modified form of the. invention.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 8-8 ofFig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view of afurther modcation.

Referring tothe drawings, in which like numerals indicate like parts inthe several views, vlOdenotes a metallic receptacle or container,preferably Vof cylindrical form, that has an annular bead 11 at itsouter end Vfor receiving a recessedjclipl member 12 formed ontheperiphery of the removable closure .or top 13. The closure 13 may -bebent to form an annularv depending flange 14 that engages the innerwallof the` container andprovides a watertight joint between theparts.

The bottom 15 of the container is preferably supported by a spider 16having the radial arms 17, as shown in Fig. 4, and a dependinggear box18. A reinforcing 'band 19 preferably surrounds thecontainer above thecorrugations 20, while a similar formed band 21 of slightlywider widthengages the opposite end of the container and the arms gg of the spider16, below the corrugations Revolubly mounted in the container 10 is ametallic `drum 23, havin 26 arranged to nt over a tubular pro]ection 27that extends upwardly and'centrally from the spider 16, as shown in Fig.3.. To permit the drum 23 to be freely rotatable on the projection 27and also Vto eliminate the possibility of water escaping from. the tubinto the driving mechanism, hereinafter referred to,an annular bushing28 and a packing 29 are preferably positioned between the skirt 26 andthe tubular projection 27. A drive shaft 30 having a reduced polygonalportion 31 extends through a suitable openingin the boss 25 and isfastened to the drum by a screw 32 that forms a watertight joint withthe bottom 24. i

- The drive shaft 30 extends into the gear Abox 18, and is journalled atits opposite end to the ball-bearing member 33, rotatably-supported inthe recessed portion 34 of the housing 35, which housing is detachablyconnected to the gear box by the bolts 36.

An electric motor or any other suitable prime mover 37 is secured to theunder side of the spider 16 by the bolts 37', and has a pulley 38connected to the drive shaft 30,

y means of an endless belt l39 which eng. an upwardly. flared bottom 24,to which 1s suitablycon- 'nected a boss V25 that has a depending skirtgages a pulley -40 on the shaft 41 and then passes down .over an idlerpulley 42 and over-a pulley 43 on the shaft 44 and back to the pulley38, as indicated in dottled lines in Fig. 3. Keyed or otherwise securedto the shaft 41 is a worm 45 whichis always in mesh with a spiral gear46 loosely mounted on the shaft 30. A bushing 47 is positioned betweenthe spiral gear 46 and the shaft 30 so as to diminish the frictionbetween these parts. Similarly, a worm 48 (Fig. 4) is keyed to the shaft44 and meshes with a worm gear 49 loosely mounted on the shaft 30, andpreferably separated therefrom by a bushing 50. The shaft 44 issupported by the rotatable bushings 50 .carried by the bearing members51. The shaft 41 is similarly mounted in the gear box 18.

A double faced clutch 51 keyed or otherwise secured to the drive shaftis longitudinally oraxially slidablein the groove ,52 formed in saiddrive shaft. Rigidly secured to shaft 54 is a yoke 555 (Fig. 4) providedwith inwardly extending lugs 56, which engage in an annularl` recess 57,formed in the periphery of the clutch 51 for actuating the latter. Theclutch 51 is provided with the teeth 58 and 59, arranged to selectivelyengage complementary teeth 60 and 61 on the'adjacent faces of the gearwheels 46 and 49, respectively. While the pulleys 40 and 43 are'substantially of the.

same diameters they are of larger.diameter than the diameter of thepulley 38, so that the speed of the shafts 41 and 44 Willbe reduced toabout one-half of that of the mo- `tor shaft. The drive shaft ispreferably maintained in a fixed position relative to the meansfordriving it at different speeds.

The shaft 54 is connected to an operating lever 62 (Fig. 4), which isheld in different .positions by means of a bracket 63 having a dependingarm 64 preferably provided with three notches 65, 66 and 67, as shown inFig. 1, for maintaining the clutch 51 and its associated parts in theneutral, washing, or drying position. A spring 68 may be confinedbetweenI the' shaft 54 and the bracket. 63, so as to create a rotatinglstrain on the shaft 55 and thus assist the lever 62 when moving theclutch from one position to another. y

In' order that the washing machine ma vbe maintained in an inclinedposition, suc as shown in Fig. 1, during the washing operation and beconveniently moved'to a ver- -ably connected by the brace bars 72. It

will be seen that by reason of this support, the machine 10 can be withfacility operated on the ound, or, if desired, may rest on a washtustand, or the like; such as 73, as shown in Fig. 1. Preferably, a board73 is mounted on the tub for supporting the machine thereon.

In order tolessen the strain of the weight of the drum when in theinclined washing position, the cover 74, which closes the cen-l tralopenings in the closure 13 and drum 23,

is provided with an extending portion 75 arranged to contact with thead] acent beaded surface 76 of the drum 2,3, and support the same duringthe operation of the machine. The cover 74 is preferably provided with acurved fiange 77, which engages an annular bead 78 on th closure 13, insuch a manner as to permit he saine to be readily removed from thecontainer, but when in the closed position, to form a watertightconnection of the parts.

'l`o prevent the clothes .from balling up during the operation of themachine, thimbles or projections 79 are connected to the inner wall ofthe drum 23, and are preferably arranged in a vertically inclinedposition relatively to each other, so as to separate and loosen theclothes.

The operation of the machine is as follows Assuming the articles to bewashed to be in the drum 23, and the necessary amount of water Withinthe container 10, and the clutch 51- in the neutral position, as shownin Fig. 3, the cover 74 is placed in position and the machine is swungabout its horizontal axis on the roller 72, Ito take the position asindicated in Fig. 1. The motor is turned on and the lever 62 moved tocause the clutch 51 on the drive shaft 30 to engage the teeth on theworm gear 49, which will rotate the drive shaft 30 and the drum 23 at aspeed of about twenty-five (25) revolutions a minute. When the clotheshave been thoroughly Washed, the support and the. container are moved,in the direction of the arrow, as shown in'Fig.` 1, to assume the dryingposition indicated in Fig. 2. The lever 62 is then actuated to cause theclutch 51 to be brought out of engagement with the worm gear 49 and toengage with the teeth on the spiral gear 46, thus causing the tions aminute. Due to the speed of rotation vof the drum 23, the water therein1s whirled upwardly andescapes through the ,drum upon disengaging thecover 74 from the closure 13. The idler pulley 42 is preferablyadjustably connected to one of the arms 17, of the spider by a threadedbolt 81, and nuts 82 and 83, as shown in Fig. 4, so that the belt 38 maybe maintained at all times in tight engagement with the pulleys.

In the modified form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 5, the closureor top -drive shaft 30 and itsassociated parts to -rotate at about fourhundred (400) revolu- Stvvliich` at its outer periphery is formed v thesame asthe closure 13 l nailed the tapered rollers 90 that engage theadjacent surface of the beads 91 on the rotatable drum 92, so as toreduce the friction of the parts during the operation of the machine.

ln the form of the invention shown in Fig. 6, theV outer closure forvthecontainer and the drum or perforation is made out of a single piece,and'consists essentially of a closure or top 93, Khaving a centralopening 9i and a yieldable clip 95 in its outer periphery, which clip isarranged to engage a 'bead 96 on -the container, 97 and provides awatertight jointwvhen in the closed position. The central opening 94C ispreferably Vstruck-out from the cover to form an inwardly projectingannular dange 98 having a stop 99 that abuts against an annular bead100'on the rotatable drum 101.

ln the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, the casing102 has one side bulged out as at 108, which, in addition to acting as astop or support for the machine When the same is in an inclinedposition, also tends to increase the capacity of the container. AU-shaped support 104 having a transverse roller 105, is connected to thebottom of the container in the manner as previously described, and actsas a fulcrum,

`about Which the machine is moved from the- Washing to the dryingposition. A removable cover 105 is arranged to close the opening in the.top of the container, and also acts as a support for the rotable drum,While a motor 106 and the clutch operating handle 107 is associated withthe machine in the same manner as the motor 37, and the operating handle62 previously referred to.`

ln the modification illustrated in Fig. 9, the cover 109 has an annularyieldable clip 110 arranged to detachably engage the bead 111 upon Vtheclosure 112 so as' to form a Water tight-joint between'the parts, theouter periphery of the .cover 112 being formed substantially the same asthe' covers 13 and Slt, previously described. The cover 109 extendsthrough the openings in the container 112 and the rotatable drum 113,but the portionof lthe cover which lprojects into the drum is preferably'spaced therefrom, so as to act as a closure for preventing thevarticles being treated from fallingout of the drum, and provide a smallpassage between the cover and the annular bead 114 on the drum, so that:duid may pass therethrough.

lt`will be seen, by reason of the present construction, a Washingmachine is provided, i'

is admirably suited for use in small apartments and places Where limitedspace is available. Moreover, the machine being light and portable maybe easily moved from place to place, and of such a size, that When notlin use, will not occupy much space.

It is understood that the form of the invention herewith shown anddescribed is merely. illustrative, and in no sense restrictive, Vandthat such changes as fall within the purview of one skilled .in theart," vmay be made Without departing from the spirit of the inventionand the scope of the claims.

1. In a machine of the class'described, the combination of a tiltablecontainer having an opening in one end thereof, said container adaptedto assume a substantially inclined ing in combination a tiltablecontainer adapted to assume an inclined Washing position andsubstantially a horizontal drying position, a drumrevolubly 'mounted inthe container, means for actuating said drum, a support connected to oneend and a side of the container, said support being offset laterallyrelative to the container, and a member rotatably mounted on saidsupport and about which the machine may be moved to either the Washingor drying position.

3. A Washing machine of the class described having in combination atiltable container provided with a ground engaging portion extendingfrom the bottom thereof, a drum revolubly mounted in the container, amotor operatively connected to said drum, a support extending from thesiderof the containe'r and connected thereto for maintaining the machinein, its inclined Washing position, said support coacting with the groundengaging portion for supporting the machine in its drying position, 'anda revoluble member connected to said support 'for moving the machinetoldiferent positions.

combination of a tiltable container having an open top, a closure forsaid top provided with a central opening, said container adapted toassume a substantially inclined position during the washing operationand a substantially lhorizontal position during 4the drying operation, arevoluble drum in the container having an opening alignedA 4t. ln amachine of` the-class described, Vthe with the opening in said closure,and a cover fitting in said openings and engaging said drum forsupporting the same when the machine is either in its washing or dryingposition.

5. In a machine. of the class described, the combination of a tiltablecontainer having an open top, a closure for said top provided with acentral opening, said Container adapted to assume a substantiallyinclinedl position during the Washing operation and a sulstantmllyhorizontal positlon dui-lngl the drying operation, a revoluble drum inthe Container having an opemng aligned with the opening in said closure,a cover fit- THOMAS J. MCDONALD.

